expression, noun
shimo-no-ku karuta; Hokkaido variant of utagaruta
A regional card game from Hokkaido based on the second half of waka poems. The name literally means 'lower-phrase karuta'. Compare with standard 歌ガルタ (utagaruta), which uses the full poem.
See also: 下の句
北海道では、下の句かるたが冬の風物詩として親しまれている。
In Hokkaido, shimo-no-ku karuta is enjoyed as a winter tradition.
Standard utagaruta uses the full waka poem, while 下の句かるた uses only the second half (下の句).
Refers to the last 14 syllables of a waka; 下の句かるた is a game built around that part.
Compound of 下の句 (shimo-no-ku, 'lower phrase of a waka') and カルタ (karuta, from Portuguese 'carta'). The name describes the game's use of only the second half of waka poems.